The Red Rover, page 5
part #6 of The Rover Series Universe Series
Her eyes grew larger. Something was wrong. Very wrong. She turned her head to the right and tried to lift her right arm. It was also restricted at the forearm. But there was another problem. Her right hand was missing. Instead, it had been wrapped at the base—where her wrist was located.
“No, no, no, no, no. This can’t be happening. This is not real.”
Delly was frantic as she recommenced pulling and kicking with as much power as she could muster. After a few moments of getting nowhere fast, she let out a deep sigh.
She glanced towards a counter surface on her right. It was noticeably lower than any worktop she had ever seen before and was filled with bric-a-brac. She couldn’t be certain if she was on another spaceship or somewhere else altogether. The only thing she was able to ascertain was that whoever was responsible for her capture must have lacked size.
She continued scanning the worktop. There appeared to be a glass container amongst the bric-a-brac. In this dimly-lit setting, it was difficult to determine the contents of the container. She narrowed her focus on it as a sense of dread enveloped her within moments.
Delly’s fingernails were pressed against the inner glass. She released a depressing sigh. She was in disbelief.
“Oh my God. What the FUCK!?”
She banged her head back against the table as tears streamed down her cheeks. She paused for a moment to think. Whoever had amputated her hand was more than likely not finished with experimenting on her.
I don’t wanna die here.
She resumed pulling and kicking. Her despondence was transforming into rage. Her survival instincts were triggering. She wiggled her left fingers, but the restraint around her forearm had reduced her movements to almost nil. She began lowering her shoulder up and down in an attempt to loosen the restraint.
If she could just get the restraint closer to her wrist, there was a possibility that she could either rip it off completely or squeeze her hand tighter and slide it through. While neither solution was ideal, the thought of losing another hand was an even worse proposition.
Delly continued wiggling the restraint closer to her wrist when an unfamiliar sound, coming from beyond the room, caught her ear. There was a two second delay before she heard the noise a second time. It was reminiscent to that of a bouncing ball.
A few seconds later, the noise fell silent as the object banged against the door separating the room from whatever was on the other side of it. She stopped trying to free herself and listened instead. The pitter-patter of someone or something could be heard approaching the door. A thud landed against it as she could no longer hold it in.
“Hello? Is someone out there?”
There was no response as Delly laid her head back on the table.
“Can anybody hear me?”
The door began to creak open. A glowing bluish grey light entered first, followed by a greyish green alien that bore a striking resemblance to an anthropomorphic koala bear, who was peeking inside.
Delly played dead, pressing her head against the table, while she squinted her left eye. The light she had seen first was coming from an object the alien was holding. The object’s glow was lighting up the entire room as it came further inside. This alien was no bigger than a small child and appeared to have the same curiosities considering it stood just beyond her legs, on her left side. The alien continued moving further until it was almost at her left waist.
“Rhodelo!” Delly heard another alien voice coming from beyond the door.
“I’m down here!” The alien child responded.
With the door opened, she was finally able to make out the noise that she heard earlier. Someone was walking down a staircase. A few moments later, a nearly identical alien to the first appeared in the doorway. This alien child was a few inches taller at most.
“Rhodelo, what are you doing? We’re not supposed to be down here. If Yero finds us—”
“But look at what I found.”
The first alien, Rhodelo, pointed at Delly, who remained motionless, so they wouldn’t realize she was awake. Rhodelo was just below her elbow, before turning back to the second alien child.
“Have you ever seen something like this before? I think it’s a vakata.”
The excitement in Rhodelo’s voice could not have been more obvious. The second alien child took a step closer to Delly. Her neck was beginning to wrench from their lollygagging. It was nearing go-time. She would have to move her head or open her eyes if they didn’t stop being so damn inquisitive.
“Don’t ever say that word.” The second alien child shot back in a scolding tone.
“Sorry. But—where do you think it came from?” Rhodelo asked.
“I don’t know, but if Yero finds out we’re in here, it won’t be pleasant. We need to go.”
Rhodelo sneered. “Don’t you wanna know what Yero does down here? Cause I do.”
In that instant, she identified just what she was listening to. These had to be two siblings. And whoever Yero was, was more than likely one of their parents. This newfound information was a godsend to her escape plans.
Rhodelo had turned his little back to her as Delly resumed trying to wiggle her left arm free. The restraint was almost covering her wrist. She began pushing her fingers inward as she slowly and subtly moved her elbow backwards. She tugged against the restraint, holding in the pain from it. Her best bet would be to rip it right through, but the timing still wasn’t right yet.
“Ah, why is everything such an adventure with you? Yero, has one rule for us. We don’t come in here.”
“But I heard something.”
“I’m sure you did. If you want to get in trouble, be my guest.”
The second alien child huffed and stormed out.
“Narobe, wait.”
Delly pulled her left hand halfway through the restraint while Rhodelo wasn’t looking. The alien child turned back to her.
“Maybe we’ll speak some other time.”
“No time like the present.”
In the blink of an eye, Delly yanked the rest of her hand through the restraint and reached for Rhodelo, grabbing the surprised alien child around its neck. She lifted him off of his feet and on top of her as he dropped his ball toy that rolled under the table, still emanating its glow.
“Ah!”
Rhodelo screamed, which caused Delly to tighten her grip around his little alien neck.
“Quiet. Quiet. Don’t make me hurt you.”
The alien child began whimpering as Delly could feel droplets landing on her undergear. Rhodelo had to be crying. Under normal circumstances, Delly might have been a bit sympathetic, but her survival instincts were supercharged and she was determined to get out of here by any means necessary.
“If you can understand me, I want you to nod your head. Do you understand me?”
Rhodelo’s head barely moved as more tears landed on her undergear.
“Okay. I’m gonna give you some slack and when I do, I want you to call for help. Do you understand me?”
Rhodelo nodded again.
“Good. Do it.”
She provided the slack as she promised. Not enough that the alien would be able to free himself, but enough that it would be able to speak.
“Yero! Lolly! Narobe! Yero!”
The lungs on this little one, goodness gracious. Delly had not accounted for the acoustics inside this room, but the sound of Rhodelo’s voice was like nails on a chalkboard when he yelled. She tightened her forearm around his throat to keep him quiet.
“Holy shit, that’s enough.”
<>
Citera was coming down the lacuna from the upper level when she noticed one of her nushies standing outside the lacuna entrance to Kabibi’s laboratory. If he were to return home and discover that door open, he would have become irrational with anger. That was a discussion worth avoiding on her part.
“Stop playing around and get up here or trouble will find you.” Narobe said.
“Why is that door open?”
Narobe’s shoulders slumped. He turned to see Citera standing behind him with her hands on her hips.
“Were you down there?” She went on.
“Just to get the buria. It wasn’t me.”
“Where’s Rhodelo?”
“He’s still down there.”
Citera respired. Since Kabibi had returned with the vakata numerous cycles ago, he had been on his best behavior. But now that one or both of her nushies had discovered the presence of it, the pendulum within their household would reverse back in his favor. She would never hear the end of it, unless she got them under control. Citera approached the lacuna entrance. Narobe stepped aside as she stopped at the top of them.
“Nush.”
Silence came from below as she squinted. She turned on the lacuna lights as she made her way down them.
“You don’t speak when I call?”
She neared the bottom of the lacuna.
“Shhh—this’ll all be over soon.”
Citera paused. A chill ran down her spine. Her maternal instincts were in overdrive. Something was not right.
“Nush, what are you doing? You know you’re not supposed to be in here.”
“Lolly!”
Citera entered the laboratory and stopped. A wave of anxiety flowed through her as she realized what was happening. The vakata had her nush in its clutches and it was large enough to do severe damage or even the unimaginable, if she wasn’t cautious. She took a step closer. The vakata squeezed tighter around Rhodelo’s neck, causing her to stop once more.
“Not so fast mama.”
“Ah. Please—whatever you want—just please—don’t hurt my nush.”
“I wasn’t planning on it—but that all depends on what you do next. Nod your head if you understand me?”
Citera nodded as tears began forming in her eyes. Just seeing Rhodelo terrified like he was—was agonizing for her. All she ever wanted to do since her nushies birth was protect them, but now she was seeing just how difficult a task that really was. The vakata was still restrained for the most part, yet it was her who felt confined.
“Okay. First, remove these leg restraints.”
Citera hurried towards them.
“Slowly!” The vakata shouted. “And start with this side.”
The vakata wiggled its left soleplate. Citera nodded, moving over the restraint. She fiddled with it, keeping one eye on Rhodelo and one eye on the restraint. The vakata pulled its leg back toward its body. It then nodded to the side as Citera made her way over to the right leg restraint, still keeping her eyes on Rhodelo. The tears were making it difficult for her to even see clearly. She released the right leg restraint and looked at the vakata.
“You still got one more.”
The vakata nodded to her right arm. Citera paused as she was startled by its missing appendage. This had to be Kabibi’s handiwork.
“Come on Mama. I’m not playing.”
Citera shook off the shock and freed the vakata’s right arm. It wasted no time sitting up with Rhodelo still in its clutches.
“Now—I’d love to know just where the fuck I am and why did you do this to me?”
The vakata held up her handless right arm. Citera wiped her tears away as she was an emotional wreck. This was all Kabibi’s doing, not hers.
“I did not do this to you. It was Kabibi.” She said.
“Kabibi. And you two are together?”
Citera nodded.
“Then you did this to me as well. Where is he?”
“The facility. He’s at the facility. Please. Please—”
“Quiet.”
Citera stopped talking.
“Now go stand with your back against the door.”
She took her time walking to the opened door and placed her back against it. The vakata continued holding Rhodelo in its arms as it hopped off the bench. Seeing it as its maximum height was even more intimidating. It was just as tall if not taller than the Fonantian regioners.
The vakata opened several of Kabibi’s cabinets. It was on a desperate search for something. Moments later, it stopped looking. It released Rhodelo, who ran straight to her.
“Lolly!”
She captured him in her arms, squeezing him as tight as she ever had. She was overjoyed that the vakata did not hurt him.
“Okay, Mama.”
Citera looked up to see the vakata holding one of Kabibi’s invasive utensils. It was silver and pointed. There was a possibility that it was the same utensil he had used to remove the vakata’s appendage.
“I think the best thing for us to do now, is for us to wait for Kabibi, as you call him. What do you think?”
Citera respired. For the security of her nushies, she had to do whatever this vakata wanted.
<>
The ascender doors opened. Kabibi stepped off, transporting his research carrier as he landed on his residence’s floor. He was extra excited to return home as he hadn’t been able to do much work with the vakata since the amputation took place. His facility responsibilities were also monopolizing his time so much that he had not been spending much time with Citera and his nushies.
“Yes, I’m almost there now.” He said to his colleague over his ring headset communicator. “Of course. When I do, you’ll be the first to hear about it. You have my word.”
Kabibi continued walking along the quiet corridor. At this period of the cycle, his fellow vicinals were rarely active.
“Until then.”
His communication ended as he left the headset on. He came to a halt in front of his residence, pulling out a magnetic pass. He placed it over each of the door latches, which unlocked them automatically.
He pushed the door open to reveal Citera and his nushies sitting on the sectional settee. Something was off about their body language and she was embracing them as if their entire existences hinged upon it.
“This is an unusual surprise.” He said.
“Yes, it most certainly is.”
The door slammed shut behind him as Kabibi turned. He was astonished to see that the vakata was no longer wearing the suppressant and it was also holding the cutter from his laboratory.
“It would behoove you to take a seat with the rest of your family. I have more than a few questions.”
Kabibi put his hands up. He was willing to cooperate. He took a seat on the closest available area of the sectional. As nerve-wracking as this situation was, considering Citera and their nushies involvement, the researcher within him was aroused. This was the first time he had heard the vakata speak and it was speaking his language no less, with a negligible variation.
“How did you clear your restraints?” He asked.
“Apparently, you didn’t hear me the first time. I’m going to be the one asking the questions, not you. Unless, you’d rather me lose my temper.”
The vakata held up its right arm, flashing the root from where Kabibi had severed its right appendage. From the look in its eyes, he recognized that this situation was on the verge of spiraling out of control. Especially, if he refused to listen to what the vakata had to say.
Kabibi respired. Who was he kidding? That was still the most likely outcome regardless of what he chose to do next.
CHAPTER FIVE
LONELINESS IS CONTAGIOUS
The rhythmic sound of metal bounced off the commissary walls as Andrew sat alone clinking two of the Draconoire shackles against one another. He had gathered them from Rio, Orion, June, Callista and himself, along with their weapons since they had escaped the alien space station. He stored them in his locker, partially as a souvenir, but mostly as a reminder.
He stared into the ether—deep in thought. Ever since their capture and subsequent bondage, he was doing a lot of soul searching. It was reasonable, given the circumstances, but now the bitterness, which he had been struggling to suppress since he was a child, was re-bubbling to the surface.
He had been welcomed to remain with the first love of his life—Ammaik—and the rest of the Aphotritons as they rebuilt their once beautiful homeland. While he couldn’t be sure what their lives would be like together, seeing as he was still finding himself, he knew that he would adore being with her. And yet, he irrationally rejected Ammaik’s offer—choosing instead to disregard his own happiness for the good of the collective.
It was factual that Andrew had become caught up in the excitement of them reuniting with one of the Rovers, same as everyone else. But now that the initial fervor had subsided, hindsight was needling him every moment he wasn’t resting in his life pod.
Walking through the Red Rover was a constant reminder of how much things had changed and for the worse. Dee-Dee and Ozone were dead and they weren’t even capable of hiding them somewhere. The WaftMar had already been reduced to spare parts and they only had one working HoverSol left. And even that was in need of serious maintenance.
The stench of the dead Draconoires was also seeping into the rest of the ship from the loading bay, which only enraged him further. There were several moments where he wanted to use their carcasses for target practice, but he knew Marius would probably forbid it.
What made matters even more difficult for him was the fact that he seemed to be the only one who was stagnating. His flight training sessions with Jovan had offered him no comfort whatsoever. He also wasn’t a tech whiz like Callista. Hell, he couldn’t even state with confidence that he was the best soldier in their group. On any given day, that title could have been given to Orion or Rio and now, fuckin’ Gordie was showing noticeable development in both his marksmanship and his attitude. It didn’t seem fair that everyone else was finding their future selves while he was constantly looking backwards.
Andrew had worked so hard to move past his childhood trauma, but now he was seeing that sometimes undoing the effects of the past can last a lifetime. There would not be a magic fix for his problems.
He slammed the shackles down on the table as it gonged from the noise. He released a deep sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair. Reality was a motherfucker. If Andrew continued to look backwards all the time, he would never be able to find happiness. Playing what if would only keep him miserable.
